The Aftermath
by Cel Sopiro
Summary: Sonic has saved the world yet again, but something else is on Tails' mind. An inspired follow-up to Lost World.


Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of the characters affiliated in this story. They are all the property of Sega, including the game which this is based upon (Sonic Lost World). This is merely a lighthearted inspiration from the contents of that setting.

* * *

Sonic lies on the grass, soothed and relaxed after having foiled Eggman's plans once again. Amy pets a Chao far off in the distance while Knuckles runs away from a group of them chasing him. As Sonic closes his eyes, he notices a familiar figure approaching. He opens an eyelid and immediately recognizes him.

"How's it going, Tails?"

Tails loomed over him, his eyes filled with concern.

"Sonic, I need to talk to you about something."

Sonic sits up and begins stretching.

"What's up buddy?"

"Remember that time when you chased the Deadly Six after they turned me into a robot?"

"Oh yeah! I had to go and teach those kids a lesson. Good thing they're gone now, huh?"

"Well…why did you just run off like that?"

Sonic stops stretching and looks at Tails.

"What do you mean?"

"Weren't you worried when they strapped those…things on me?"

"Sure I was" Sonic replies with a smirk, "but I knew you were going to be fine after I talked you out it."

Tails' expression turns into anger. "Talk me out of it? I had to reprogram their device just so I can break free from it!"

"Woah Tails," Sonic responds in surprise, "okay, so you deserve some credit in helping out as well. What are you so mad about?"

"You were so reckless that I had to stop you from falling into that trap, and because of that the Deadly Six captured me and turned me into a robot. After all of that, the least you could've done is…"

"…make things up and save everyone! Don't worry buddy, I know I was a bit slow for a moment, but you don't have to worry about anything now."

Tails stares at Sonic, his breaths becoming intense as he clenches his fists.

"Fine, whatever! As if talking to you was a good idea."

He turns around and walks away. Sonic looks at him, perplexed at his friend. Amy walks over to Sonic while looking over at Tails.

"Are you two okay?" she asks.

"Yeah" Sonic answers, "I just don't know what Tails is on about. I saved everyone's lives, but he seems upset about something."

"Don't worry about it" Knuckles responds, approaching them while trying to get a Chao off from hugging him, "whatever he's angry about, he'll get over it after a while."

Sonic gives a smile.

"Yeah, you're right."

He lies back on the grass again, looking up at the cloudy blue sky. As his vision blurs, he closes his eyes without a hint of concern.

* * *

Laser fire is heard.

Sonic suddenly wakes up.

Tails stood in front of him with his robotic enhancements again. The Deadly Six were behind him, all alive. He fires a few rounds at them, causing them to panic and flee away from the duo. Tails then turns around back to Sonic.

"Phew, close call!" Sonic exclaims.

He extends his fist for Tails to bump, but his friend doesn't move. Tails looks over at him uncomfortably.

"Sonic, about what happened…"

Sonic grins. "Don't worry about it Tails! I knew you wouldn't turn on your old buddy!"

Tails stares at Sonic in bewilderment.

"What? No, I meant when you pushed me into that trap. I…"

Sonic rolls his eyes.

"Tails, can we leave that for some other time? I've got to catch up with those guys!"

"Sonic…!"

"You can tell me all about that later though. Don't worry, I'll handle this from here!"

Sonic darts away from his friend. Tails looks at him, partly in surprise, partly in disbelief. He lowers his head, standing alone in silence, his surroundings seemingly darkening. He turns around and slowly walks toward the destroyed bridge.

Suddenly, Eggman rises from the bridge gap with his machine and cohorts. He immediately recognizes Tails, and laughs hysterically.

"Well well, if it isn't fox boy!"

Tails looks up at his friend's nemesis. He slowly begins to smile, chuckling. His chuckles soon grew to a roaring laughter, to the point where he began holding his stomach in pain.

"Is he okay?" asks Orbot, "I've never seen him like this."

"Yeah" shivers Cubot, "he's starting to give me the creeps."

"I'm glad you're still alive, Doctor Eggman" Tails says with an evil grin.

"Oooooooooh" Eggman responds, "I do like the sound of that name." He immediately shakes his head, "wait, what am I saying? Are you trying to mess with me, two tails?!"

"Not at all" Tails replies as he approaches Eggman, "but if you want, I can help you destroy Sonic once and for all."

Eggman ponders, caressing his moustache.

"How do I know you're not trying to trick me?"

"Oh trust me, there's nothing more I want to do than to teach that stupid hedgehog a lesson."

Eggman looks at Tails' evil grin, surprised at how it resonates familiarly. Almost like how Eggman feels towards his nemesis. He begins to laugh.

"Goody! Two brains are better than one, even if mine is greatly superior to yours." Eggman replies, sharing Tails' grin. Cubot and Orbot look at each other nervously.

* * *

"What do you mean, "it's garbage?!" Eggman retorts.

"Yeah, just look at those legs. You're practically asking for Sonic to destroy your robot." Tails replies.

Eggman grunts as he pulls out a wrench to improve his contraption. Meanwhile, Cubot and Orbot are helping Tails on removing his robotic enhancements.

"Wow, look at all of this!" Cubot gawks, amazed at all of the metal parts now detached from Tails. "I bet that if I wear all of them, I'll be able to fight like one of Eggman's robots!"

Eggman turns angrily at him. "Don't be ridiculous. The only thing you're good at is being a useless hunk of junk!"

Tails chuckles.

"You know, you're a pretty funny robot."

Cubot turns and looks at Tails.

"Do you really mean that?" he asks.

"Yeah" he replies, "I mean, you may not mean it, but you can be pretty fun to listen to. And you, Orbot, you're pretty reliable yourself." Tails looks at his removed enhancements. "Thanks you two for helping me out."

Orbot and Cubot look at each other, then both proceed to hug Tails.

"I've never heard such nice words in all my robot life!" says Cubot.

"It's good to have someone who truly appreciates us." Orbot replies.

"What are you two idiots bumbling on about?!" Eggman shouts. Orbot and Cubot immediately move away from Tails.

"Nothing boss!" Cubot responds.

"Whatever" Eggman mumbles to himself. "As long as Tails help me crush that blue pest once and for all, he can stay. But once Sonic is done for…" he grins, "Tails can join him too."

Orbot flickers an eye over at Eggman.

* * *

"Alright!"

Sonic darts to the extractor machine after having defeated the Deadly Six.

"Now, how do I turn this thing off?" he sighs, "Hey Tails? Could you help me…"

Sonic turns around, his buddy nowhere to be seen.

"Oh…well, not to worry! Time to do some science!"

He inspects the machine's monitor closely. It dimly displays the giant word: "OFF".

"Hmm…the machine must be turned off!" Sonic deduces, "but how?"

"Why, thanks to me!" Eggman replies, rising from a nearby pit with his robot, "or should I say, us?"

Another robot figure rises up beside him.

"What? Tails!"

The cockpit of the second robot brightens up, revealing Tails at the helm.

"Did Eggman put you up to this?"

"Me?" Eggman retorts, "Why, I did nothing at all. It was Tails' idea all along!"

"Tails?"

Tails grins as he readies up his weapon and fires it at Sonic. He quickly moves out of the way and dodges it.

"And now, let us destroy Sonic once and for all!" Eggman announces.

"Us?" Tails replies. As Eggman turns around to respond, Tails uses his robot's arm to smash Eggman's cockpit, throwing him off of it as his robot collapses.

"Ugh…you…you damn fox!" Eggman grunts.

Tails begins to laugh. "You should've treated your robot minions a bit better. Maybe then they wouldn't tell me about your plans to get rid of me."

Orbot and Cubot both appear behind Tails.

"Curse you two useless scraps of metal!" Eggman yells.

"We're not useless!" Cubot retorts.

"We found a better master who can, shall we say, truly appreciate us for who we are." Orbot replies.

"You lied to me, you little fox!" Eggman screams.

Tails begins to laugh. "Lied to you? About what, defeating that blue hedgehog?" He turns around, facing Sonic. "Oh, I'm still going to destroy him." He gives an evil grin.

"Tails!" Sonic yells, "but why?!"

Tails begins to attack Sonic. As Sonic zooms away from his attacks, he finds a weak spot on the robot's arms and proceeds to attack them. He eventually links them to aim at the cockpit, delivering one final, lethal blow.

"Aaaagh!"

The cockpit's glass is shattered, and Tails is thrown off of the robot. As the robot explodes, Sonic looks over at his fallen friend.

"Tails!"

He rushes over to him and puts his hand under Tails' head. His body is filled with cuts, his right eye blackened from the impact, dirt is spread all over him. Tails breathes irregularly, gasping for air.

"Tails…why? Why did you do this?"

Tails grabs Sonic, pulls himself towards him, struggling for one final breath.

"So you would care."

Sonic's eyes begin to widen up. He couldn't contain his smirk, which blew up to an enormous laughter, tilting his head to the sky above.

"Tails! I never thought you'd be so pretentious! Of course I care! What were you thinking, buddy? That was really silly of…"

He looks back at his friend with a joyful grin. Tails was limp, his eyes closed, his body motionless without a sign of life.

"Tails?"

His grin slowly fades away, his expression changing to concern.

"Tails…? Tails buddy?"

Sonic slowly shakes his friend, trying to get a response out of him. He pauses, realizing what had happened. His eyes began to burn, his heart filling with pain; he grabs onto his friend and hugs him tightly.

He turns his head to the sky.

"TAILS!"

* * *

Sonic raises his back from the grass, gasping heavily from shock. He looks around in bewilderment, seeing Amy and Knuckles playing with the Chao creatures.

"A dream…it was all a dream…"

Amy peeks over at him, confused.

"Are you okay, Sonic?"

He looks down for a while, then lifts his head towards Amy, his eyes filled with determination.

"Where's Tails?" he asks.

"Not sure, but if I was to guess, I'd say he's at his workshop as usual." says Knuckles.

"I have to go." Sonic immediately gets up and darts off. Amy and Knuckles look at him as he zooms away, perplexed at his resolve.

* * *

A knocking is heard at Tails' workshop.

"Tails?!"

Tails sighs, recognizing the familiar voice. He puts down the wrench he was using to work on his plane.

"Tails, are you there buddy?!"

He heads over to the door and opens it.

"What do you wa…"

Sonic immediately hugs him. He gasps in surprise.

"I'm sorry, Tails. I'm sorry for getting you in danger, for leaving you behind, for not asking if you're okay. I should've listened when you told me about that trap; I should've cared when they strapped those things on you. I…"

His eyes begin to water.

"I was reckless. I put you in danger and something terrible could've happened to you. You're my best friend, and I never want to see you get hurt."

He tightens his hug as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"Tails…I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

The two embrace for a while. Tails hugs his friend back and smiles softly as his eyes begin to water as well.

"I forgive you."


End file.
